1. Field of the Invention
Food containers, namely paper or plastic carrying and serving bags for transporting and then holding the food during eating.
A paper bag is fitted with a surrounding tray to catch drips of mayonnaise, catsup, meat and vegetable juices, particles of food, and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Restaurants and fast food vendors usually wrap their goods, mainly hamburgers, in a sheet of paper or shallow waterproof bag. These provide sanitary coverings for holding the food, but if the food is drippy with mayonnaise, catsup, tomato, juices, etc material can drip from the food and not be caught within the wrap or bag. The present invention recognized the need for more containment of these common problems to keep both the eater, the table, and the floor of the restaurant clean.
The literature in the US patent files shows several deep bags for carrying sandwich like food, and the sandwich may be pushed to the top to be exposed and positioned for eating. However, these have no advantage over the more common shallow bag or wrap during eating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,534 by Theodore Wells is an improvement over the more common food bag or wrap. Mr. Wells includes a surplus of material at the top that can be folded back and extend somewhat from the hamburger or sandwich. The folds are comprised of soft flexible material and do not prevent liquids and slurries from escaping. Indeed, the skirt formed by folding parts of the bag film outwardly are described as directing drips into the bag or away from the user, over his hand. The drips directed into the bag are not retained by the shielding skirt, and the drips directed away are not retained, but allowed to drip off the shield skirt. The present invention can retain the drips, or permit them to be controllably poured off of the retainer.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is an object of the invention to provide controlled capture of food drips and droppings from a hamburger, hot dog, sandwich, or similar finger food.
It is another object of the invention to retain the drips and droppings on a drip tray integral with a carrying/holding bag.
It is another object of the invention to permit controlled removal or dumping of the retained drips from the drip tray.